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Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'
Stella de Oro Daylily
Genus Hemerocallis native to East Asia (China, Japan, Korea); 'Stella de Oro' is a garden hybrid bred by Walter Jablonski in Indiana and registered with the American Hemerocallis Society in 1975; highest-volume daylily in commercial landscape production across temperate North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand
Overview
Hemerocallis × 'Stella de Oro' is a compact reblooming daylily in the Asphodelaceae family — the cultivar that defined the reblooming daylily category in the modern garden trade. Plants reach 12–15 inches (30–38 cm) tall and 18–24 inches (45–60 cm) wide, sitting at the compact end of the daylily size range. Deep golden-yellow trumpet-shaped flowers 2.75 inches (7 cm) across appear from June through October across a 16+ week reblooming season — substantially longer than the 4-week single-flush bloom of most daylily cultivars and unprecedented at the cultivar's introduction in 1975 by Walter Jablonski. The cultivar name translates as 'star of gold' in Italian, referring to the deep saturated gold color of the flowers. 'Stella de Oro' revolutionized the daylily market by proving that continuous reblooming from a compact plant was achievable, spawning an entire generation of reblooming miniature daylilies including 'Happy Returns' (1986) and 'Pardon Me' (1982). The deep golden-yellow runs warmer and richer than the paler lemon of child cultivar 'Happy Returns' and contrasts with the cranberry-red of sibling 'Pardon Me'. A light sweet fragrance is present in evening air. Medium green strap-shaped arching foliage forms a compact fountain-like mound. The cultivar's prevalence in commercial landscapes — parking lots, strip malls, highway medians — has given it a reputation for overuse, but the prevalence itself confirms the plant's reliability across a wide range of conditions. In hot climates, continuous reblooming may slow during the hottest weeks of August before resuming in September. Deer eat daylily foliage; in deer-heavy areas, protection is needed. All Hemerocallis are toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure if ingested.
Native Range
Hemerocallis species are native to East Asia (China, Japan, Korea), where wild populations occur in moist meadows, streamside habitats, and forest edges across temperate East Asian climates. The 'Stella de Oro' cultivar is a garden hybrid bred by Walter Jablonski in Indiana and registered with the American Hemerocallis Society in 1975; the cultivar runs as the highest-volume daylily in commercial landscape production across temperate North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.Suggested Uses
Used at the front of borders, along walkways, in mass plantings, foundation plantings, and containers of 5 gallons (19 liters) or more. The benchmark daylily cultivar for residential landscapes — 'Stella de Oro' runs as the reference point for the compact-reblooming daylily category. Mass plantings at 15–18 inch (38–45 cm) spacing create a solid flowering ground cover. The continuous golden bloom fills summer-to-fall flower gaps with minimal maintenance. Pairs with 'Happy Returns' (lemon-yellow child cultivar) and 'Pardon Me' (cranberry-red sibling cultivar) for a multi-color daylily display from the same compact size class. Keep planted away from cat-accessible areas due to the kidney-failure toxicity from any plant part.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 1'3"
Width/Spread1'6" - 2'
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Flowering from June through October across approximately 16+ weeks with continuous reblooming. Each flower lasts one day; new buds and scapes replace them across the season. The reblooming habit is genetic and does not require deadheading to maintain — the cultivar produces successive scapes from the basal crown across the entire bloom window. The 16+ week bloom window runs at the upper end of the daylily reblooming range and was unprecedented at the cultivar's 1975 introduction, establishing the reblooming-daylily category that subsequent cultivars 'Happy Returns' and 'Pardon Me' continued to develop. In hot continental summers, continuous bloom may pause during the hottest weeks of August before resuming in September.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Deep golden-yellow; trumpet-shaped 2.75 inches across (miniature daylily classification)Foliage Description
Medium green; strap-shaped arching leaves forming a fountain-like foliage moundGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Plant in full sun to partial shade with 5–10 hours of light — flower count rises with increasing direct sun exposure. Average well-drained soil of any type suits the cultivar; clay, sand, and loam are all tolerated. Water during establishment in the first growing season; drought-tolerant once rooted. Snap off spent individual flowers daily for tidy appearance, though daily deadheading is cosmetic rather than essential for continued bloom (the reblooming habit is genetic). Remove spent scapes at the base after all buds on the scape have opened. Divide clumps every 3–4 years when flowering decreases and the central crown becomes congested. The cultivar tolerates heat, drought, and neglect — characteristics that have made it the highest-volume daylily in commercial landscape applications across North America. All daylilies are toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure if ingested — keep planting locations away from areas where cats access garden plants.Pruning
Snap off individual spent flowers daily for tidy appearance (cosmetic — the reblooming habit is genetic and does not require deadheading). Remove entire spent scapes at the base after all buds on the scape have opened. Cut all foliage to ground level in late fall after frost browns it, or in early spring before new growth emerges. Divide clumps every 3–4 years to maintain vigor and flowering.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
fallspring
Maintenance Level
very lowContainer Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons